Gehenna that infernal pit of hell open and the cruel fornace ready to deuoure them without and on euery side of them all the world burning on fire O then what shall they doe to goe backward is impossible and to appeare intollerable Oh therefore let vs not deferre our time but learne of our Sauiour to sinne no more lest a worse thing doe come vnto vs. Lastly it was the continuing in sin that caused the reiection of Came the drowning of the whole World the burning of Sodome the consuinption of Herod the fall of Ananias and the damnation of the rich glutton with many thousands more which now lye damned in hell and can none of all these fore-warnings serue vs to sinne no more that this worse thing doe not come vnto vs If they cannot yet at the last either let the miraculous deliuerance of Ionah from drowning Ichosaphat from the Amorites Ioseph in prison Daniel in the Lyons den Sufanna from her wrongfull iudgement Peter from sinking in the sea the thrée Israelites from the fiery fornace or the most bitter death which our Sauiour Iesus Christ suffered on the crosse for our sinnes be a motiue to cause vs to sinne no more which in so doing hée hath both couenanted and granted that this worse thing shall neuer come vnto vs. If you would flye the effect shun the cause If you would auoid the punishment then abandon your sin and learne of our Sauiour to sinne no more lest that a worse thing do come vnto you And as you were cloathed before like the criple with the garment of Vanity you must now put on the Robes of Christs humility wash not your selues in Sylo nor in Iordan but in the poole Bethesda of spirituall Syon Lest a worse thing come vnto you To conclude séeing God is the infinite good that is offended Sinne the infinite euill that is committed this worse thing that should come vnto vs the infinite punishment of hell prepared for all those that continue in their sinnes without c repentance Let vs therefore learne our Sauiours Caueat to forsake our sins that this worse thing may not come for our sins are in the falling but the grace of God is in the rising Sin the cursed worke of the Deuill but mercy pardon and forgiuenesse the blessed worke of God And as much as God is mightier than the Deuill so much is his mercies toward repentant sinners greater than his malice our disease is great but the power of the Physician is farre greater yea before they call I will answer saith the Lord and while they speake I will heare Wherefore let vs not plead vnto God Non est factum in denying our sinnes which he warneth vs to Sinne no more but let vs like good Souldiers put on the whole Armour of God and violently resist the Deuill in the power of Iesus Christ and he will flye from vs So often as we resist him so often wée ouer-come we make the Angles glad and glorifie God which exhorts vs to fight And helps vs in the time of need He beholds our striuing he helps vs vp when we faint and crownes vs with glory and honour when we ouercome The greater our temptations are the more noble must bee our resistance and the more godly our life and conuersations are the greater shall be our crowne and glory We must also most entirely desire Almighty God who is the Author of repentance to giue vs his grace to repeÌ„t that we may record a decrée in our hearts to kéepe all our sinnes with euerlasting exile of Banishment and neuer admit any of them againe in our Coasts And let our hearts be pricked on with the féeling of Gods mercies encouraged by his gracious promises of accepting our poore endeuours to doe him seruice yea rauished with the expectation of such a reward as is assured vnto all those which learne this lesson of our Sauiour To sinne no more And withall let vs bee ashamed of our long continuing in sinne that wee could repent no sooner and condemne the carelessenes of our hearts for doing our best workes so imperfect And most entirely craue pardon grace and mercy from the Father of mercies and carefully searth our hearts find out our sinnes that wée may learne here of our Sauiour To sinne no more but each day renew our repentance And then we shall be assured that tha outward offering of grace will bee euer accompanied with the inward working of the Spirit And Gods holy Spirit will be our conductor his Word our director while our faith holds the anchor And grace stéere the helme Oh let our teares bee theseas our sighes the gales of wind to arriue at Gods heauenly Kingdome which God hath prepared for vs Christ hath merited for vs the holy Spirit doth assure vs and our owne godly liues and conuersations in learning here of our Sauiour to sinne no more will witnesse the same vnto vs which the Father of mercies euen for his Son Iesus Christ his sake for euer grant vs. And as wee haue begun to liue here in thy feare procéed and continued in thy fauour grow daily in thy grace euen so we beséech thee Oh Lord to let vs liue within thée thy Glory Amen Euen so sweet Iesus say AMEN Sinne no more CHrists mercy is to such as doe repent But not to sinners that remaine in sinne Who were a sinner if he haue intent To change his life he may his mercies win For in this world he hath his mercy plast Whilst it endures so will it euer last If sinners conscience tremble for to thinke Of their accompts vpon their dreadfull day If that their terrors make their harts to shrinke Then let their mind driue sinfull thought away And dare not doe their wicked actions here In which they durst not at that day appeare Gods justice doth as euer heretofore Call on that sinners may receiue their due But Christs endeuour now as euermore For mans repentance and saluation sue At Iesus sute God euer granteth grace And for repentance giueth sinners space FINIS a Ioh. 5 14. Eccle. 21. 1. b Psal 7. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 14. c Mat. 1. 21. 1 Tim. 4. 19. Acts 5 31. Marolat d Iohn 5 14. Eccl 21. 1. Psal 41. 4. Eccl. 5. 5. 7. Luke 15. 21. e 1 Ioh. 1. 8. Esay 9. 17. Pro. 20. 9. Esay 41 29. 1 Iohn 1 7. Psâ—l 51. â— 2 Esa 4. â—0 Rom. 7. 23. f 1 Tim. 4. 10 Acts 5. 31. Matth. 1. 21. g 1 Ioh. 1. 8. * 1 Tim 4. 10 Mat. 1. 2. Acts 5. 31. Exod. 22. 31. 1 Pet 1. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Iohn 5. 14. Eccl. 21. 1 h Iam. 4. 7. i Eccl. 21. 1. 1 King 2. 4. 1 Kin. 3. 14. Col 4. 5.
ANDREWES CAVEAT TO WIN SINNERS A true and perfect way to win carelesse sinners if there be but the least sparke of Grace in them vnto speedy Repentance that in the end they may obtaine eternall life Directed vnto all the elect Children of God which truly repent Newly published by IOHN ANDREWES Preacher of Gods Word Being first Seene and Allowed LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate at the signe of the Bible 1631. Andrewes Caueat to win Sinners Sinne no more THe chiefe and principall thing that ariseth to our Christian consideration or meditation out of these words is the comfortable practise of our Sauiour who not only cureth this foule and loathsome diseased criple but sheweth him how hee should liue and continue his health according to that of Marlarot vpon this place Qui aegrotos sanat sanatos admonet He that healeth the diseased aduiseth how they should maintaine preserue their health Sin no more Wée are here to consider that no man is without sinne If we say wee haue no sinne we deceiue out selues and there is no truth in vs. Christ did not séeke his absolute obedience to the whole Law nor his totall immunity or fréenesse from all sinne for it is impossible for a man to bée cleane without sinne in this life And therefore our Sauiour in bidding this man sinne no more Non exegit ab omni peccato vt sit immunis Requireth not that he should bee frée from all sinne Sed comparatione vitae prioris but in comparison of his former life For our Sauiour Christ knew that hee was not only impius improbus void of all holinesse and honesty for a time but that he was insignis nebulo a notorious grosse and grieuous sinner Therefore in bidding him sinne no more Is that as hée hath formerly obeyed sinne now he must withstand it and walke no more so inordinately in it and as hée was wont to yéeld vnto it so now he must striue against it that it may reigne no more in him to captiue and enthrall his soule vnto eternall perdition For Ex saniâ—ate animae fit sanitas corporis The soules soundnesse is the bodies safety and if his soule had not sinned no doubt his body had not smarted but had beene alwayes preserued for the joyes of Heauen Wherefore wée may gather that the only cause of our Sauiours conference with this man in the temple was to shew him that the first and efficient cause of his sicknesse was nothing but his sinne And therefore hée admonisheth him to sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto him Christ would haue him to sinne no more neither in Cogitatione proposito actione nec obduratione Neither in thought purpose performance nor countenance Hee would not haue him to sinne in thought lest it should cause him to stumble nor in purpose lest it make him fall nor in performance lest it cause him to lye prostrate neither in continuance lest it make him become obdurate and past all sence and féeling of sinne But aboue all things to abhor sinne Sinne no more Our Sauiour Christ would haue this man sinne no more which forewarning was a signe that hee loued him and was loath to lose him But this loue was not of him to Christ but of Christ to him whereby wee may note that Christ leueth not only proximum his néerest nor amicum his dearest for cum inimici essemus when wee were his enemies foes and aduersaries he so loued vs that he dyed for vs. If you say this man was Christs friend because he cured him I may answer he cured him indeed Amicum nondum amantem his friend not yet louing him Sed amicum vt jam amatum but as his friend now beloued of him Wherefore it may truly bée said that he was Non amicus quasi amans not his friend as louing Sed amicus vt amans but his friend as beloued But yet let vs marke Although God loue man neuer so dearely yet if he continue in his sinne he will seuerely punish him It is wonderfull and fearefull to remember how God hath dealt with those that haue beene néerest and dearest vnto him and of him best beloued How for sinne only and that but once committed as it is thought hee hath changed his countenance towards them turned ouer another leafe and hath most seuerely punished them The Angels whom hee seated in heauen and adorned with singular graces and perfections aboue all other creatures for one onely sinne of pride against the Maiesty of their Maker were hurled into hell and are holden with chaines of darknesse for euer-lasting damnation After this God made him a new friend of flesh and bloud he created Adam and placed him in Paradise whom he loued excéedingly and liued friendly and familiarly withall hée made him Vice-gerent and sole supreme Soueraigne ouer the whole world And as the Psalmist speaketh put all things in subiection vnder his féet yet for all this when once hee brake his commandement and did eat the forbidden fruit all friendship was broken betwixt them and God mightily offended insomuch that he banished him out of Paradise and condemned him and all his posterity had he not repented to eternall misery and euerlasting damnation How seuerely this sentence is executed may easily appeare by this that many millions of people yea all the sonnes of Adam are adiudged to hell fire for euer saue onely those whom Christ Iesus hath ransomed with his precious bloud and bitter passion on the crosse Lastly because I will not trouble you with a cloud of witnesses to this purpose which filleth the booke and are too long to repeat King Dauid a chosen vessell and a faithfull seruant of God as the Texttermeth him a man after Gods owne heart yet for his adultery and numbring the people God vnsheathed the sword of his vengeance and made it drunken with the bloud of seuenty thousand for his sake Hereupon let vs consider with our selues search the Scriptures and let each of vs descend into his owne soule and conscience and sée whether there bee any reason or cause in the world why God should spare vs or change the course of his justice towards vs when he hath dealt thus seuerely with great personages and holy Prophets for some few sinnes and those only of infirmity And let vs resolus with our selues that vnlesse we repent vs of our sinnes God will mete the like measure vnto vs and our reward and punishment shal be the same which hath be fallen vnto others Here we may learne what it is that is the cause of Gods anger and haleth downe a punishment vpon men the Text sets it downe in a grosse summe and in generall to be sinne For sinne causeth the children of vnbeléeâ—e
so to dandle in the lap of folly that they neuer feare their fall nor hells fury vntill they bée serued with a writ of present penance Sin blindeth the sight of many which in their owne conceit sée me to be wise but wanting true wisdome separate themselues from God and run headlong to hell and eternall damnation Marke I pray you the subtilty of sin whom it can diuert from the milke of Gods word it politickly blotteth against with the doctrine of vanity whom sinne can frustrate from the rock of religion it vniteth vnto the God of Ekron whom sinne can deuorce from the Spouse of Christ it deflowreth with the foule whore of Babilon And in the end sinne bringeth with it such damned spirits howling hel-hounds and roaring lyons with Vasa furoris their vessels of fury which euer shall be prepared ready for their prey Thus sin being not forsaken causeth a worse thing to come vnto all them whom it ruleth and ouer-commeth Qui jam nolentes ceciderunt in paenam quia saepè volentes ceciderunt in culpam which now vnwillingly are punished in hell fire because they so often sinned and so long willingly continued in their sin without repentance Heare oh therefore heare all you that walke after the lusts of your owne hearts and depart from Bethel the house of God to starue your soules in Bethauen the den of iniquity It is sinne oh it is your vnrepented sinne that drawes Gods anger towards you that makes our eyes more dry than the stony rocke and your hearts more hard than the Adamant that you cannot relent with any tender affection vnto your God for all your foule offences which you haue daily and hourely committed against him Oh! if you did féele the smart of sinne but prick in your wounded conscience it were forcible enough to draw streames of teares out of the dryest eye that euer was in the head of man and to excite a multitude of sorrowfull groanes out of the hardest heart that euer God made Yea it would make you like Dauid to pray and cry vnto God againe and againe and neuer leaue the Lord vntill you obtaine his mercy and fauour that you may get some comfortable perswasion of Gods loue in Christ for the pardon of your sinnes Vntill you do so you shal neuer haue peace nor quietnesse of conscience nor any sound comfort of Gods holy Spirit in you Therefore with spéed learne here of our Sauiour to sinne no more for it is farre better for vs that Anima carnem ad Coelum vehat quam vt animam caro ad infernum trahat The soule should carry the body to Heauen then the body should pull downe the soule to hell by the heauy weight and burthen of sinne For sinne is of such an intolerable weight that it pressed Christ himselfe as a cartis pressed that is full of sheaues and it maketh the earth to réele to and fro like a drunken man Wherefore let vs flye from sin as from a serpent saith the sonne of Syrach and learne here of our Sauiour to sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto vs. Sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto you THe effect of sin is punishment Rarò antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo Pumishment limping after with his lame foot hath seldome forsaken the sinner going before him Thus sin goeth before punishment followes after They are inseparable companions like water moysture fire and heat the Sun and his light yea cause and effect mother daughter which sin no man can pardon but God take this for a generall rule whatsoeuer thou bee that Peccatum puniendum est aut à te aut à Deo si punitur à te tunc punitur sine te si verò à te non punitur tecum punietur Sinne must néeds bée punished either of God or of thy selfe If by thy selfe then it is punished without the If of God then thou and thy sin must be punished together for God punisheth either sin or the sinner in one or in both and that without respect of persons except they repent and sin no more p whensoeuer wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer he findeth it Quia abyssâ—s abystum inuocat one déepe calleth another So the greatnes of the sin causeth the seuerenesse of the punishment Thus you may see that sin Non solum ponit nos contrarios Deo sed facit nos nobis ipsis graues doth not onely set vs at varience with God but it maketh vs grieuous vnto our selues Sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto you IT is said in the holy Scripture in diuers sundry places that Odio est Deo impius impietas eius God hateth the wicked man his wickednes too He hateth all those that work iniquity both the wicked man and al his wickednes are in hatred with him Yea the whole life of sinners as much as their very thoughts words and deeds God hateth They are abhomination in his gracious sight hée cannot abide them but saith He that committeth sin is of the Deuill and therefore their names shall â—ot their dwelling place shall not remaine for a worse thing shall come vnto them their destruction shall come suddenly when they least thinke of it hee doth not only say their houses shal be destroyed but also they themselues shal be no more remembred because they shall be taken in the sin of their owne transgression And farther yet he cannot abide nor permit sinners to praise him but cutteth them off suddenly in so much as many haue not time to think on God or once to cry Lord helpe me and therefore no maruell if he shew such rigour to sinners at the last day when their worse thing shall come vnto them that is the dreadfull sentence of Christ Quantum in delitiis fuit tantum date illi tormentum Looke how much he hath béene in delights of his sinne so much torment do you lay vpon him where and when hée or they shall behold the great terrible feareful and angry countenance of that mighty God Iehouah aboue them to be their Iudge with a sword of Vengeance in the one hand to terrifie them and a scabart of Iustice in the other hand to judge them and their sin on the one side to accuse and cry for Vengeance against them and those cursed Serpents those vgly Monsters those damned spirits those houling helhounds on the other side to execute the vengeance of this worse thing that shal come vnto them which is Gods eternal wrath and damnation their conscience gnawing within them without them al damned soules that continued in their sinnes bewailing and beneath them